Conveyer



Feb. 22, 1927. 1,618,338

F. D. HOFFMAN CONVEYER Filed Fep.1, 192e Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED-STATES `Pa'irlfzll'xlr OFFICE.

lman yn.'HoirMAN;or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

,coNvEYEn Application filed I-`e`mruary accompanying drawings, wherein:

Y 1 is a side elevation Vof a'conveyer embodying my improvements andillustrating its .employment for irrigation or V drainage purposes K, iY,

1 Fig. 2'is a vertical section on the line 2 2, Figl;4 .Y .i o .-Fig.'Azis 'anienlargech detail, perspective view of a portion of the conveyershell, illustrating its connection withY the conveyer screw blade@ 'C fr 1 Fig.4 4 is a longitudinahfsectional.viewof a Amodified formoftubefand screw, adapted -torhigh speed pumping.. f -v Referring? moreinzdetailto the drawings, -1 designates .the conveyer tube or shellwhich mayV be'of any ordinary construction but preferably formed' of as'pirallyjointed 'pipe inorder to anchor .the contained conveyer screnT2f With this form of construction Ione edge ofthe pipe strip is providedwith an outstanding flange Sandrthe other edgewth box-joint flange 4,having a spread of sufficient width to receive the flange 3 togetherwith an outstanding flange 5 onthe edge-of thesc'rewblade 2, so ,thatrwhen the tube yandscreware assembled, the screw is formed within thetube to constitute asub- `stantially integral part with it,l andtheboxjoint closed to make the tube watertight. Co'nveyers 'offthis typefare adapted for rotation as a unit as distinguished from rotation ofthe screw within a stationary tube or cylinder and in that the materialto be moved must be carried up an incline as distinguished from merehorizontal travel. Consequently, means must bev provided for supportingthe conveyor on a rolling contact to carry its weight; braces must beprovided for receiving end thrust vdue tothe inclined position of theconveyer, and means must be provided for rotating the convey-er underthe preceding conditions.

For the first supporting means I` provide a bracket 6, having a suitablefoundation 7 and a plurality of bearing members arranged 1, 192e. aserialV N0. 85,199.

in pairs, one pairv B being preferably located at the cent-er of thebracket and supporting a shaft 9 carrying'a beveled roller 10. EX-tending upwardly at opposite sides ofthe bearing 8 and embracing thelower portion of the conveyor, when the llatter is in place, are armsy11 and 12, each provided with a pair of bearing members Y13 carrying ashaft 11i-on which'is rotatably mounted a ,beveled wheelfglsimilarto thewheel -10 on lthe-base bearing, 1

The arms veyer tubebr shell which is Seated therein andthe wheels 10 and15 constructed and arranged so thattheir bearing-surfaces will arespreadto embrace the conparallel'the bearing surfaceof a beveledring j flange16that is weldedV or otherwisepermanjently and ksecurely iXed-tothe`ytube 1, the ring flange being secured, to the-outer' sur- 15516;@` ofthe-,tube or shell, perpendicular to the arri-s'` thereof to avoidtwisting strain on Y,the tube when the latter is supportedinthe chairformed-by' the bracket Gand the roller ybearingsheretofore-lmentioned,the aXis of the roller bearing 10 being parallel withthe surface of thering flange 16 andthe beveled contacting faces of the ringiandvrollerbearrvings being such-thatthe roller bearings receive the thrustfroin-the ring-flange and serve tota-ke up end thrust of the conveyer aswell as support it from below. Y*

Located adjacent the foundation Tis a second foundation 17 supporting aAframe 18 carrying a collar .19,fatY an angle perpendic- `ularto theaxis ofthe conveyelgand preferably consisting of angle iron members,each semi-circular and having end arms 20 for attachment rto. tliebaseand standard mem- Y bers ofthe frame- VFixed to the outer HflangesoftheQsemi-circular members isa collar 21 adapted fork snug lit over theconveyer 2 without interfering with the rotatable movement thereof andhaving a ball race 22 at its outer edge. v

Fixed to the conveyer tube is a collar 23 having a ball race flange 24adapted to tum within the race 22 on the'stationary collar 21, andlocated within the race are anti-'friction balls 25 adapted to bearagainst the two race membersand against the surface of the tube, so thatthe tube mayl roll freely thereon but be supported thereby. i

Located at a convenient point on the conveyer tube is a beveled ringgear 26', meshving with a corresponding pinion 27 on the shaft 28journalled in bearings 29 on a suital (l able foundation 30, the shaftbeing also provided with a pulley wheel 31 whereby7 it may be rotatedfrom any suitable source of power (not shown).

A eonveyer so constructed and assembled with the stationary support,thrust bearings and driving members, may be so supported and balancedthat it mai7 be easily rotated even with its load ot liquid so that whenthe conveyer is employed for lifting water from the source of supplyY toan irri- `gation ditch or from the ditch to its laterale it may beoperated with a small or low power motor, but is eliective 'for liftingand transferring large volumes ol water. lFor slow speed Iunnping thesingle screw conveyor is efiicient, but at high speed the fluid merelyswirls with the tube and is not advanced by the screw. `Vhis defect maybe overcome by separating the screw into sections (2' of Fig. 4) andproviding batlles between thc sections to brealt up the swirlingmovement ol the fluid: the battles being` arranged at an angle oppositeto that ot the screw sections and preferably comprising metal stripsattached to the screw sections and extended into the spaces between saidsections as shown.

As operation of the conveyor is obvious from the drawing and the`foregoing description, and while I have described the conveyer inconnection with a particular use, its adz'iptability for other specific,purposes is apparent.

that I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is zl. Incombination with a conveyor tube, rolling contacts tor supporting thetube, bevelled rolling contacts tor absorbing end thrust of the tube,and means for rotating the tube.

il. In combination with a couveyer tube, a thrust bearing comprising aring fixed to the tube on a line perpelulicular to its axis and havingabeveled tace, a bracket having arms embracing the tube, and .rollerbearings on said arms having oppositely beveled faces paralleling the'tace et the conveyor ring and having supporting contact therewith.

3. In combination with a conveyer tube, a thrust bearing comprising aring fixed to the conveyer en a line perpendicular to its axis andhaving a beveled tace, a bracket having arms embracing the tube, a'roller hearing at the base of the bracket, and roller bearings on saidarms, said roller bearings having :faces beveled oppositely to said ringparalleling the 'tace of the conveyer ring and having supporting Contacttherewith.

In combination with a conveyor tube, means for supporting the conveyer,a traine, semi-circular members suspended in the trame, a collar carriedby said .n'iembers and surrounding the tube, a ball race seat on saidcollar, a collar fixed to the tube, a ball race cap on said last namedcollar cti-operating with said seat, anti-friction `members in said ballrace, and means for rotating the tube.

In eon'ibination with a conveyer tube, means lor supporting the tubecomprising an anti-friction bearing, anti-friction means between theends oi. said tube for absorbing end thrust ol the tube, a beveled ringgear on the tube, and a drlven, beveled gear wheel meshing with saidring gear to rotate the tube.

t3. In a conveyor ot the character de-` scribed, a tube formed 'troni asingle spirally wound strip ot sheet metal having a iianged edge portionforming an inwardly facing groove along one edge thereotI and anoutturned flange along the opposite edge thereet' interl'tt-ing withsaid groove, and a conveyer screw within the tube having an edge flangelitting in said groove in the tube and held therein by the intertittingflanges of said tube to lock the screw in place in the tube, `means forsupporting the tube and means `for rotating the tube.

7. In a conveyor of the character described, a tube, an `interruptedscrew in said tube and ballles attached to the screw sectionsintermediate the ends thereof and extendinnr therefrom in a directionreverse to that ointhe screw.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

Fano D. HOFFMAN.

